


Moment of Panic

by Rizobact



Series: Curb Finds [4]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Challenge Response, Gen, silliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 00:22:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5722606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rizobact/pseuds/Rizobact
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Congratulations, Fulcrum - you saved Tarn! (Oops!) Panic seems the appropriate reaction, and Misfire agrees.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moment of Panic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DarthKrande](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthKrande/gifts).



> Written for a challenge in my writing group - part one was to write a short scene from one of our own not-yet-posted stories, and part two was to come up with a possible prequel/concurrent/sequel scene based on the others' fills for part one.

“Are you crazy? You’re crazy! Completely nucking futs!”  
  
Fulcrum resisted the urge to facepalm, but only just. He should probably credit that success to the overwhelming sense of panic holding him paralyzed more than any actual strength of will, however. He’d been frightened enough _before_ he knew who else had been in the building when he’d bluffed those slavers into retreating. Now, knowing that he was currently making his way up from the ground floor, Fulcrum was experiencing a brand new level of terror.  
  
As a mech who had made a career out of being afraid, that was really saying something.  
  
“Not that I’m not grateful, I mean, because I am, really grateful. You totally saved our lives, Pinhead.” Misfire continued to talk, pacing and fidgeting more than enough to make up for Fulcrum’s unnatural stillness. The K-Con envied him – were he able to move, he’d start running and never stop. Over the edge of the roof would be a pretty good place to start, come to think of it. They were an awfully long way up.  
  
It would be a more merciful death than what the leader of the DJD would give him when he reached the roof. Although, if he recognized the life-debt, perhaps Fulcrum could lobby for a swift bullet through his spark chamber. That might not be too bad.  
  
“But saving our lives just to get us all killed isn’t really “saving”, is it?” The jet babbled, actually making air quotes as he spoke with his digits. It was obvious he was itching to fly away, but the crippled turbine throwing sparks as he moved made it _impossible_ for him to take to the air.  
  
Well. Impossible to take to the air for long, without exploding. So, so many ways for them to die…  
  
“Yup, that’s it – we’re dead. We survived, but we’re dead.”  
  
“Not. Helping,” Fulcrum managed to get out at last. “Are you _sure_ Crankcase said it was _Tarn_ he saw down there?!”  
  
Misfire nodded vigorously. “Uh huh. Pretty hard to mistake him for someone else, in any case. Big, purple, Deception emblem for a face?”  
  
The sound that escaped Fulcrum’s vocalizer was most definitely _not_ a squeak. Nope. He would defend that to his grave. An easy enough proposition, all things considered.  
  
“Hey, wait, I got it!” Misfire all but shouted. Fulcrum jumped, startled by the volume. “There’s gotta be an emergency staircase or something, right? All we have to do is find it!” He grabbed Fulcrum’s wrist and started pulling him towards the side of the roof. “Come on, help me look! Maybe there’s still time to–”  
  
They were right in front of the service door when it swung open to reveal a mech that really was absolutely impossible to mistake for anyone else. Misfire tried to take off despite his injuries, squawking as he didn’t manage any more than a couple of cartwheels through the air before crashing a few frame lengths back on the roof.  
  
And so it was that Fulcrum stood alone in the face of death, praying for a free pass.


End file.
